UN Daily Press Briefing: Kosovo Elections, Gaza Humanitarian Aid, Sudan Crisis, and Ukraine Conflict

Kosovo Elections and Governance

• 🗳️ The UN Mission in Kosovo commended the peaceful local elections on October 12th and urged continued calm for the November 9th run-offs.
• ⚠️ Concerns were raised about the impact of closing Serbia-run institutions on access to essential services like health and education.
• 🤝 Pristina authorities are urged to genuinely engage communities and seek alternatives before enforcing decisions affecting daily life.

Gaza Humanitarian Situation

• 🚚 Families in Gaza are moving to newly accessible areas, with many seeking shelter in overcrowded displacement sites.
• 📈 Humanitarian partners are scaling up operations, expanding presence and increasing assistance in line with a 60-day plan.
• 🍲 Food security partners are distributing food parcels to over 15,000 households and preparing nearly 944,000 meals daily through community kitchens.
• 💊 The WHO dispatched medical supplies, including medicines for chronic conditions and infections, to ensure continuity of health services.
• ⛺ Shelter material partners are scaling up, distributing tents and blankets, but emphasize the need for greater volumes before winter.
• 📦 Humanitarian supplies are being collected and offloaded through UN 2720 mechanism via Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Kissufim crossings, with over two-thirds of cargo being food.

West Bank and Other Global Issues

• ⚖️ The UN Human Rights Office reported severe settler attacks against Palestinians and foreign activists in the West Bank, with a 13% increase in attacks causing casualties or property damage in the first half of 2025.
• 🌍 Deputy Secretary-General Amina Muhammad highlighted Africa's economic growth, renewable energy investment, and youth potential at the Financial Times Africa Summit.
• 🕊️ UNIFIL continues to discover unauthorized weapons caches and unexploded ordnance in Lebanon, while training Lebanese armed forces.

Sudan Crisis

• ⚠️ Escalating violence in North Darfur deepens the humanitarian crisis, with families fleeing El Faser in dire condition, many injured, and dozens of young men missing.
• 🆘 Needs far exceed available resources in Tawala, which hosts over 600,000 displaced people lacking shelter, food, or safe water.
• 🚨 Repeated attacks in El Fasher endanger civilians, with heavy shelling in densely populated areas and many displaced lacking basic necessities.
• 🚫 OCHA stresses the need to lift the siege on El Fasher and ensure safe passage for civilians and humanitarians.
• 💥 A drone strike reportedly hit the main market in Kabkabia town, and the Khartoum international airport was struck just before its scheduled reopening.
• 🤝 OCHA reiterates the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and infrastructure, and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Ukraine Conflict

• ⚡ Continued attacks across Ukraine have caused civilian casualties and damaged energy infrastructure, leading to large-scale blackouts and water disruptions affecting over 150,000 people.
• ❄️ The attacks raise concerns over heating and essential services as temperatures drop, highlighting the need for reliable funding for the winter response plan.
• 💰 The Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, managed by OCHA, allocated nearly two-thirds of its funds to local organizations last year.

FAO Forest Report

• 🌳 A new FAO report indicates deforestation has slowed globally in the last decade, but rates remain high at 10.9 million hectares per year.
• 📊 Forest cover is 4.14 billion hectares (one-third of the planet's land area), with over half now covered by long-term management plans and one-fifth in protected areas.